Annan says thousands held in Iraq without due process

[JURIST] UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan said on Wednesday that thousands of prisoners are being held in Iraq without due process, constituting "one of the major human rights challenges" faced by the country. In a report to the UN Security Council [official website] he noted that:

Despite the release of some detainees, their number continues to grow. Prolonged detention without access to lawyers and courts is prohibited under international law including during states of emergency

According to the Iraqi Justice Ministry, 6,000 of the 10,000 detainees being held are in US military custody. The US held over 8,000 people when it handed over political control of Iraq to local authorities. Reuters has more.

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